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Former Black Panther Freed, Ending 30-year Legal Battle

February 18, 1999|By From Tribune News Services.

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA — The three-decade legal battle of Elmer "Geronimo" Pratt ended Wednesday with the district attorney's decision to drop further prosecution of the former Black Panther who spent 27 years in prison for a murder he said he didn't commit.

"The murder at issue in this case occurred over 30 years ago," said Gil Garcetti, Los Angeles County's top prosecutor. "Most of the witnesses are deceased. It would be virtually impossible to retry this case."